Together
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: After everything that has happened between them, John and Joss finally move forward. Obviously going to be slight AU with changing the ending of The Crossing. Careese pairing.


Disclaimer: None of this is mine, if it was I would obviously not have things happen the way they did as so many others.

* * *

Together

_They shouldn't have let their guard down. Even though most of HR had been rounded up, including their prominent leader Quinn, Simmons had managed to avoid the manhunt for several hours now. John thought that he and Joss made it through their ordeal at the morgue. As he waited for her in the holding room, he thought back to what happened between them. All the things they said to each other, what he had done. It was partially due to the dire situation they were in. Both had limited ammo while escorting a third person through the death trap that was the New York streets._

_He shouldn't have been surprised that his number was up. Like Joss said, when your time's up, it's up. Knowing that they was a good chance that he was going to die, he told her. Two and a half years and he finally admitted to her the truth. Finch may have been partially responsible for saving his life but Joss gave him another reason to live, one that made him start the cat and mouse game with her. There was something about her, the way she spoke to him the first time they met. He felt like she knew him and his situation and he had refused to give his name. Instead, he left her the gift of his identity before being bailed out to meet with Finch, knowing that she would be after him once she found out who he was._

_John could only remember one other woman that made him feel this kind of excitement. Only one other woman would have his heart pounding at the mere thought of her. Jessica was the perfect woman in his eyes and he had only come to terms with her death a few weeks ago. Now he wanted to move on to someone who had been there. _

_Joss was a patient woman to say the least. John was curious for a while how she truly felt about their relationship with its ups and downs. They had gone through an amazing journey together and tonight back at the morgue when his number was up, he wanted her to understand exactly how he felt. _

_John had used all of his tactical skills that night, trying to find ways around the ruthless thugs and crooked cops so Quinn could be could be turned over ot the FBI. When one path was blocked, his brain moved to the next plan. The morgue wouldn't have been the best place under other circumstances but they had to get off the streets since every criminal in the city had his number tonight. Quinn was a constant annoyance and he was glad to find the sedatives. _

_It was somber moment between him and Joss. Among the chaos of their current situation, he found himself talking to her like nothing was wrong. They never really shared something as intimate as their scars from war but something tonight possessed him to show off the bullet wound. Maybe he was just recalling a few close calls that he had where he learned she had a few of her own, giving birth to Taylor being the closest and scariest moment in her life. _

_The bullet felt heavy in his hand as he explained to Joss his darkest moment. It sat in his pocket for the last two and a half years, still a possible option for him. The words flowed easily from him as he looked into Joss's concerned eyes. If his number really was up, John needed her to know the truth. These last two and half years, the numbers provided a distraction for him. She had to know that the real reason that kept him going all of this time. _

_Reminiscing on the events leading up to their fateful meeting, John couldn't stop himself from touching her face. His fingers were trembling slightly, knowing how huge of a step this was for the both of them. Joss reached up and grasped his wrist, leaning into his touch with a soft smile on her face. She was his everything and the kiss felt so right. He had wanted to assure Joss that he had finally moved on, even if this was the last time he would see her._

* * *

The impact of the bullets stole the air from his lungs and pushed him to the ground. John was helpless as Joss stepped forward to confront Simmons who had emerged from the shadows. Unloading two shots in his direction, John watched as she was hit and fell in front of him; but not before Simmons limped back into the dark alley.

"Joss…" The words were hard to utter as he used all his strength to drag himself over to her. The worst possibility was now present as she had not moved an inch once everything calmed down. Reaching her, John dragged Joss into his lap, noticing the hole in her chest and her shallow breathing. He held her a bit tighter, worried for her.

The cough she let out was rough but she grasped his arm, having him look down at her. "It's…okay. I was…wearing my vest" she gasped out, trying to get her breathing back to normal. John breathed a sigh of relief, noticing the lack of blood coming from the wound.

"Mr. Reese, Detective Carter, are you alright?" Finch asked in a panic as he crossed the street. The nearby payphone was still incessantly ringing in the background when he reached them. He watched as they struggled to get back to their feet. Finch grabbed John's arm, remembering his injuries from earlier as Joss slowly rose.

The Kevlar undershirt managed to stop the two bullets that hit him but John knew he would be hurting in the morning. "Shouldn't you answer that" he asked, noting the ringing across the street.

"I believe that I have an idea of who that may be Mr. Reese. Right now, I've got to get you and Detective Carter to a nearby safe house to rest up. You had me quite worried for a moment there." Finch had feared the worse when he watched the scene play out before him.

Joss hissed in pain when she got to her feet. Her body swayed a bit, causing her to lean up against a nearby wall for support. "At least we managed to trick Simmons in to exposing himself. Figured it would have been too much of an opportunity for him to take us both out if we stood out in the open. Now we've got him." The sound of success sounded like music to her ears. "We need to make ourselves scarce though." Joss took in some air, ignoring the pain. "That would have drawn some unwanted attention for the two of you."

Finch agreed and hurried the two of them to his town car.

* * *

The oak door opened to the one of many safe houses Finch had purchased over the course of his mission. He escorted John and Detective Carter inside, both recovered from their momentary encounter with Officer Simmons. It was not lost on Finch that something appeared to be different between his two assets. They would touch each other in ways that told him there was development in their relationship. Finch found himself happy that John was able to truly move on from Jessica. Sure, John said that he had forgiven himself but Finch still hadn't been too sure.

"I do hope that you are able to make yourselves at home. Detective, I will inform your son of your current situation and escort him to your mother's home for the evening." Finch watched as the two of them began to make themselves more comfortable.

Joss made her way over to the kitchen with John following close behind. Their movements were slow, the effects of the bullets still apparent on both of them. John took a seat near the counter while Joss started to search through the bottom cabinets for something. "I would really appreciate that Finch. Didn't really have to chance to tell him what I was planning to do" she called over her shoulder.

He looked over at John, who remained silent before speaking up again. "Well I will leave you two to rest. Have a good night." Finch went back through the door and closed it behind him, leaving the two of them alone.

John had been the silent observer during the short exchange between Harold and Joss. His eyes were now following her movements as she searched around for possibly something to eat. He shook his head with a smile on his face. She was just attacked and yet her appetite wasn't spoiled. "You looking for anything in particular?"

Instead of turning to look at him, Joss continued to distract herself. "Just anything that I can leave on the stove while I get cleaned up. You should probably do the same," she recommended. Their clothes showed the signs of where the bullets had struck. John knew that the safe houses had their fare share of supplies. He also knew that there was quite the assortment of clothes for him for situations such as this. As because Finch never really considered Joss someone that needed that type of assistance, he knew that there wasn't anything that she could wear, unless she didn't mind men's shirts.

"Ah, looks like I can make some soup for us." She began to take out the ingredients gingerly. The small bit of stretching that she did caused the tight grey shirt that she was wearing to ride up a bit before she eased her arms back down and put her jacket over the chair next to her.

Still having his right arm hanging in the small sling from the bullet that he took the night before, John used his free hand to maneuver his jacket off of his shoulders. Looking down, he took in the sight of gunpowder residue surrounding the spot where the bullets hit the vest. John traced the outer edge of the now singed material of his shirt. He then found himself curious as to the state of Joss's vest. She took quite the blow when she took the bullet for him, something that he wished she hadn't done, even if she did have protection.

Keeping his movements silent, John stood up and approached Joss, who was still preoccupied with what she could do at the moment before hopping in the shower. His body began to react at the mere thoughts of them together under the hot water as he pressed Joss's body against the glass door. John was a bit fearful of scaring her off now. Despite the confession that he made to her inside the morgue, he wasn't sure if Joss's could have misinterpreted what he did because they were in a desperate situation. She probably brushed it off, thinking that he said those things because his number was up.

He remembered her voice through the metal door that separated the two of them when he ditched her. John could hear it wavering with the fear of losing him because he felt the same way about her when they talked.

Distracted with the task at hand, Joss was fixing things up for an easy meal. When she felt a sudden warmth on her hip, she jumped slightly. Looking back, she gave John the evil eye before sighing in relief. "Finch really does need to get a bell for you. Scared the crap out of me ya know." Before she could go back to getting the things ready to simmer, Joss felt the material of her shirt moving a bit. "John, what are you doing?" She asked suspiciously.

Instead of giving her an answer, he let his fingers move over the exposed skin, being careful to not exert his arm too much. The fingers moved up until he could felt the firm material of the vest that had saved her life. The sharp intake of air wasn't lost on John as he manipulated the Velcro straps out of the loops.

"I thought that you could do with getting more comfortable Detective." The last word was hoarse against her ear as John pressed her firmly against the table. He could feel her hesitation before she spoke up.

"You should probably take it easy. You've had a rough couple of hours John." She was right of course. Joss had been on this crusade of hers for the last couple of months only to finally ask for his help when she was meeting with a judge a few days ago.

That didn't stop him though from continuing with what he was doing. This time though, he allowed her room to move if she needed it. What John hadn't expected was the feel of her hand on his when he began working of the left part of her vest. "After what happened, I think we both deserve a bit of time off." Her hand didn't leave his but he could feel her squeeze it a bit.

"John, can we talk about what happened back in the morgue?"

He grew nervous at the question. John's throat became so dry at the mere mention of what happened between them. Joss was regretting what happened between them and wanted things to go back to the way things used to be between them. He didn't blame her. Before his thoughts could go on, she spoke up.

"I know that we were both under quite a bit of stress and thought that we probably wouldn't make it out of there. But…" Joss squeezed his hand even harder. "I know that it must have taken a lot for you to say those things to me. Did you really mean it when you said that you stayed alive because of me?" She was being tentative with the subject. Joss didn't want to push John if he wasn't ready to talk about what he admitted to her back there. In the course of her career, she had come across people that she managed to help out of some very dire situations. Joss had gotten gratitude before. For some reason though, she knew it took a lot for John to open up to her the way he did; but to go so far as to say that she had been solely responsible for stopping him from ending it all after Jessica was something else entirely.

John pulled her closer to him, forgetting the current task of divesting Joss of her vest. "Every word" he growled into her ear. "As long as I got to be with you, I don't care what happened. I wasn't lying when I said any of those things. Joss…" He stopped when she started shaking her head.

"I understand. You probably shouldn't push yourself. You were shot in the arm remember." John knew that she was fighting her body. He certainly was battling with his. Once she released his hand, John busied himself with removing the vest once again. "Um John, you're pushing yourself again," Joss pointed out.

"I've never been one to follow advice, remember?" His large hands reached up her sides to follow up with the two straps that hugged her shoulders. Joss couldn't stop the small shudder that passed through her, remembering how it felt when he put that hand against her cheek. She couldn't stop the whimper that escaped just as it had before. It was short work for John and Joss could feel the vest finally loosen. She couldn't help the sigh as well because all Joss wanted to do was forget about the last twenty-four hours.

The thud was quite loud on the hardwood floor, Joss's earlier thoughts emphasized a bit more that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Deceiving John with lies that she was really okay with what was happened was hard on her. Looking into his soulful blue eyes, it wasn't easy.

John glanced over at the floor, noting the condition of the vest with the large, dark spot where her heart would have been. His good hand didn't stop once that barrier was gone. Instead, John snaked his way further up still. When his traced the underside of her left breast, Joss hissed out in pain. Her skin had become a bit tenderer for obvious reasons, but John couldn't stop himself. His fingers longed to touch more than just her hand or face. "Joss, do you honestly want to wait?" He asked huskily in her ear, feeling the shiver that ran through her body.

"What in the hell did they put in your water back at the station John?" She was beginning to forget her need to clean up at the moment thanks to the man behind her.

He nuzzled her neck before responding. "It isn't so the question of what as much as who. A certain Detective decided to question me and she caught my eye for quite a while now."

"John…"

He interrupted before she could continue. "I can't wait Joss. I don't want to lose any more time with you. Last night when my number was up, I debated on whether or not to tell you the truth. I left you in that room because you had something important to do. All I could do was watch your back, just as you always trusted me to do." His hand continued its tortuous ministrations, now moving to her back and slowly traveling up the length of her spine, causing a hoarse moan that John heard. He smiled as he learned more about Joss's body. "I don't care about my arm right now. All I want to do is make love to you Joss. I accepted everything that happened with Jessica, always knowing that if I was ready to take the next step, I would want it to be with you."

He shouldn't have been surprised by Joss's next actions. The worse case scenario John had been expecting had been her leaving him flat on his ass and her storming to the bathroom. Instead, she spun around in his arms, dragging his lips down to hers in a fierce kiss. John was all too eager to use his tongue and trace the seam of her lips. Joss was all too happy to allow him entry and John soon found himself duel with her for control. He was falling in love with her all over again.

Preoccupied with tasting him, Joss began to work on removing another barrier between them. Two could play at that game since he freely touched her body when taking off her bulletproof vest. With one arm currently in a sling to recover from the bullet he took in the morgue, the loosened shirt could only reach down to his elbow. Despite how eager she was, Joss didn't want to strain it. Her hands snuck beneath the undershirt that saved his life from Simmons, raking her short nails against John's skin, eliciting a low growl from him.

"Maybe we should wait until your arm is better John. I would love to see how your stamina really is." Joss continued to tease, noting how his dress pants began to tent up just a bit.

His good arm slipped through the sleeve, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek, almost mimicking the way he had done it before. "Maybe I don't want to wait Joss." His deep voice lingered on her name as John cornered her. "Maybe I just want your mind, body, and soul right now." His hand inched down to her breast, squeezing the mound of soft flesh roughly, eliciting a loud moan from Joss.

"John…oh god." She couldn't remember a time, if any, when a man wanted her as passionately as this. Joss thought that she would have been able to move on with Beecher since John disappeared from her life, but all she was able to do was avenge his death out of principle rather than love. Joss reached for his hand, increasing the pressure he was applying while using the other to reach for the undershirt. "Don't ever leave me like that again" she demanded. John had deceived her by sending her on a errand before he snuck out just so she wouldn't be involved in his fight.

"I'll be sure to let you know the next time I do that." The sharp gasp resulted when he grew tired of teasing through the shirt, digging his way underneath and feeling her breast with only her bra now the only thing in the way. The desire to be enveloped in her heat was all he could think about. John wanted to do nothing more than to give himself over to her for as long as she wanted him.

John's hands were familiarizing themselves with her skin, his fingertips brushing up against the now mangled skin that she showed him back in the morgue, her story all too familiar. The noises Joss made were ones that John could never get tired of hearing. Understanding the urgency, Joss abandoned what she was doing before quickly pulling the now ruined shirt up and over before tossing it aside. She then pulled John closer, fusing her lips to his once again. He had been the one to cut it short however and began nuzzling the side of her neck, the small stubble tickling her neck. John just pulled her closer to him. His hands were immobile on her back as he buried in nose into her neck, deeply inhaling the scent that was uniquely hers.

"Are you okay?" Joss noticed that he had stopped suddenly, just content with holding her. It was unexpected but she loved having such a warm, strong body holding her so closely.

"I just can't believe that you haven't run away from me Joss. After everything that I've said, everything that I've done, you are still with me." Clearing his mind of the cloud that was her scent, John looked at her with such somber eyes.

Joss looked back at him in disbelief. "Why wouldn't I be John? Just because the circumstances were a bit out of our hands tonight doesn't mean that I'll take back what I said." She looked deep into his blue eyes, hoping to reflect what she was saying in hers.

"About you hating me forever if I got hurt," he reiterated. John could only imagine her face since there was a metal door with a barricade separating the two them at the time.

She nodded her head before caressing his face, feeling the hardened cheekbones. "We have a weird relationship John." He chuckled a bit before asking what she meant. "We didn't say the words that we really wanted to say but we somehow knew what they meant."

"So do you want to say what you actually meant or should I?" John smirked at the idea. They did have something special, something that he couldn't really put his finger on. Joss and he would flirt and banter all the time in a friendly manner. Their occupations made it difficult to just hang out as friends often do. Yet, they still remained together even after their fallouts and arguments.

Joss shook her head before helping him with what he was after. She took her time though, wanting to tease him a bit more. The shirt was unbuttoned and then tossed to the side. Before she could unhook her bra, John pulled her close and stole her breath away with another kiss. His fingers tip toed to the lacy material of her black bra. She could only figure that he wanted to be the one to get it off of her which she didn't mind as long as he touched her.

Joss's body was quite responsive once John managed to unhook her bra after a bit of trial and error. His large hand was eager to squeeze her, being sure not to tease the hardened buds. She couldn't stop herself from moaning while his hand caressed her but whimpered when he didn't touch her the way she needed him too. Joss was the kind of woman that had too much pride to beg, but right now she wanted nothing more than for him to wrap his lips around the now painfully hard nipple and use his tongue to play with it.

It was strange to believe but John must have been in tune with her feelings because he finally began to play with the nipple, leaving her gasping. She wrapped her arms around John's broad, bare shoulders, bringing him close enough to allow her to unbutton his pants. The sound of the zipper was deafening but also brought a smile to John's face. _Two can play at that game_

John replaced the hand with his mouth, sucking the bud inside before trapping it between his teeth. Joss's hands grabbed at his hair while his tongue teased her. Ignoring the small pang of pain from his injury, his hands slowly drifted down, noticing how her stomach involuntarily clenched when his fingertips brushed up against the scar she got from the landmine. It was another thing that bonded them, the things that they've seen during the war and the friends that they've lost.

Tightening his grip on her nipple, John used his tongue to soothe the small bit of pain she might have felt. Her jeans didn't stand a chance as he quickly undid them and the zipper letting them fall to the floor, leaving her in matching black panties. John couldn't help but growl at the sight, a sound that Joss could feel all the way to her core.

His hand, instead of slipping into the elastics like she expected, took their time to become more intimate with her. John used a lone finger to begin stimulating her through the thin material of her underwear.

"John…oh!" His finger managed to find the small bundle of nerves and was quick to play with it. Joss's mind went blank, finding it unbelievable that John had her trembling and yet all he did was play her like a fiddle. The man definitely knew how to please. "Please, no more teasing." As much as she enjoyed it, she needed him inside her, now!

At hearing her, John stopped everything he was doing, causing Joss to groan in frustration. "Why Detective, all you had to do was ask." He looked her dead in the eye as he finally freed himself from his boxer briefs. Joss threw him a glance, noting that he was well endowed. Did she really expect anything less from John? Despite all of his so-called 'flaws', he was far better than most men she met in the past.

"Ugh…" His groan brought her back to reality, seeing him reach up to his arm. She suddenly felt terrible, putting her own desires over John's recovery. He took two bullets from Simmons. Realistically, he should be resting up so that he would be one hundred percent for Finch. Before Joss could voice her concerns, saying that this could wait, he captured her lips in a searing kiss. Their tongues mingled briefly before he detached from her. "Nothing is more important than this, than you Joss." She loved hearing her name in that low, hoarse voice of his. It seemed like he only reserved it for her.

Joss helped in removing her panties, lowering them slowly before batting them away with her feet. Soon afterward, she felt herself being lifted on to the table behind her. John was quick to poise himself, not being able to resist teasing her again by brushing her entrance with the tip of his cock. Her face turned dark momentarily but the innocent look in his eyes quickly made her smile. Securing her arms around his neck, she nuzzled John's neck, nipping where his neck met his shoulder.

His one hand grabbed her taut thigh, pulling her a bit closer to him. Her core was calling for him, begging for him to take her. The immense heat drew him in and John found himself slowly but surely pushing forward. Joss's grip tightened around his neck, telling him that it had been quite some time since she had last been intimate. He could feel how tight she was a bit further in. John took pleasure in knowing that even though she had started another relationship with Detective Beecher, she had not gone very far with him. John knew Joss, how she wanted to avenge his death out of principle. He had no reason to worry where his place in her life was. He kissed her again, this one instead being softer and slower.

Joss's body was drawing him in. John couldn't stifle the hiss of longing when he was so deep inside her. Ever since Jessica, he had not been sure whether or not he would be able to give himself over to another woman. That was until he met Joss. Watching her watching him two and half years ago made him want to set things in motion, made him want to begin the games with her.

"John…more!" Her sensual voice stopped his reminiscing. He was almost buried to the hilt but Joss still wanted him to go on. John helped her adjust a bit before pushing a bit further, shuddering at how wet and hot she was for him. He wondering how many times she thought about them this way because he had thought about it quite a lot.

Joss's fingers dug into his neck once again, this time pulling him closer. She felt like she was dying in the absolute bliss that was John Reese. Her legs opened for him, wanting, no, desired every inch of him to take her and make her his. John's blue eyes were burning a hole to her soul, his face reflecting the passion that he was feeling.

He pushed with a bit more force, completely engulfing himself in the heat that was Joss's body causing them both to shout out in ecstasy. Joss's hot breath tickled his ear as John began to move with a pace that would be easy on the both of them. When he was fully healed, John had plans for his little Detective. The sounds of their moans as well as their bodies coming together was deafening in the large loft.

John's thick length would rub against that small little bundle of nerves every time he pulled out before pushing back in. Joss was surprised at how quickly her stomach began to clench, a feeling that she had long since forgotten since she and Paul had separated. She was holding on to him so tight as she met every hard thrust, she wondered briefly if there would be bruises there tomorrow.

The growl that he let out told her that he was fighting against his own release. "John, it's…it's okay oh" her breath hitched when he pushed into her just right, rubbing her clit once again. Joss's head was swimming in desire.

"Not without…you Joss." The deep groan was felt in both of their now sensitive bodies. John's mouth tugged at the skin of her neck as he pulled her closer to him. "Let's come together…Joss." Her name oozed from his lips as the pace began to quicken. Unexpectedly, the feeling of euphoria ignited inside her. She clutched at John for dear life as her insides tightened around him, bringing his release shortly after.

Their breathing was ragged as they took a moment to recollect themselves. When John finally looked at Joss, he could see that she had been sated and satisfied, and the way she was smiling at him he was certain that he was reflecting the same emotions.

She was the first to speak. "If that's how you are when you are hurt John, I can wait to see what it's like when you are a hundred percent."

John was taken aback. He had been worried that if he had ever allowed their relationship to reach this level that things would be awkward between them. Even though they had just had the most mind blowing sex he ever had, she was still teasing him, reaffirming that everything would be alright between them. "I'm sure that you won't be disappointed. Now how about we get cleaned up and maybe I'll allow you to change my bandages."

Joss jumped off the table, her legs felt like jelly, not that she cared. "Take your ass over to the bathroom and I'll show you that you won't be disappointed." Shameless at her naked state, Joss trotted to the nearby hallway, giving him a longing glance before entering through the far door.

John didn't hesitate to fix his pants and chase after her, excited for what she had in store for him.

* * *

A/N: Finally I have contributed something that changed the outcome of the episode. I hope that everyone enjoyed and once again thanks SWWoman. I'm happy that you are sticking around because without you, I feel that my writing wouldn't be as strong as it is now.


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